Electric  coupling for railway-train signaling



(No MfIdel.)

, W. C. JOHNSTON, Jr.

ELECTRIC GOUPLING FOR RAILWAY TRAIN SIGNALING. N0. 397,553l Patented Feb. l2,1889.

AAA@

linie STATES VWILLIAM C. JOHNSTON, JR.,

Paritair Gratien.

OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELEC-rale' eouPLlNG Fos RAILWAY-TRAIN SIGNALING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of' Letters Patent No. 397,553, dated February 12, 1889.

Application flied nach '5, 1838.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

'13e it known that I, WILLTAM C. .TonNs'roN, Jr., of Lynn, county oli' Essex, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented Im provements in Electric Signaling' Apparatus i'or Railwayflrains, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in electric signal appara-tus for use on railwaytrains, and the nature thereof is hereinafter fully described and specifically claimed.

Referring' to the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view representing a coupling embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation representingl the two part-s of the coupling locked together and the outer shell be ing broken away to represent the mechanism inclosed thereby. Fig. f3 is the same as Fig. 2, except that it represents the two parts oi thecoupling detached.

The shell or casing A is composed ot wood or other non-conducting material. It is desirable to have it composed of material light as possible, and I prefer to malte it of wood and cover it with a coating of enamel, which is baked thereon in the usual manner of enaineling wooden articles. It is provided with longitudinal chambers er channels h h, in which are pivoted the levers cy li, as represented in Figs. 2 and 3. The case B is also provided in a similar manner with pivoted levers i 4c. In other respects the case B is a duplicate of the case A. Said cases A and B are provided on one end with sectional anges 6, that dove tail with each other when the coupling is closed together and form a shield or covering` to prevent the dust and einders from passing in between the contiguous ends of the coupling to disturb the action of the mechanical parts or levers. The cases are provided each with a metallic ring, T, which ring is attached to the rear end oi' the case and is provided with an extension, 8, and connected with the levers a l; l l are springs 9, which opera-te to hold the ends ot the levers, respectively, against the ring 7 when the coupling is drawn apart, as shown in Fig. Said levers are provided on their t'ront ends, respt-ctively, with a double inclined boss, IO. y

The electric eonductingwires are attached, one, which may be the direct, to one ot the Serial No. 266,116. (No model.)

levers, and the other, which may be the return, to the other of said levers. In each case the conducting-wires traverse the entire car, and a case i s secured tothe wires at each end ot' the car in the usual manner. At the rear end oi' each case is a tube, l2, composed of rubber or similar flexible material, which surrounds the conducting-wire, and is provided with a flange on its inner end, that is impinged between the end of the case and a screweap, l5. The other end of said tube is extended outward from the case through said cap and is wound tightl)T to the conductingwires. In this manner dust and dampness are prevented from entering the ease or intelL tering with the action of the conductingwires at this point.

The normal position of the levers a l) la when thev cases are drawn apart is represented in Fig. 3, and their normal position when the cases are coupled together is represented in Fig. 2. The cases are coupled together bv bringin them to each other with the inclined faces of the levers lined with each other and pushingthe cases together, allowing the levers to pass each other and interlock, as shown in Fig. 2, in which position the respect ive levers operate to hold each other out of contact with the metallic ring 7, and thus establish direct communication 'from the respective conductors in one car or section and those of the other ear or section through the intermediate levers. The conductors are thus made complete and continuous and also independent of each other from one end of the line to the other. `W'hen the cases are drawn apart, which may be effected by pulling the cases in opposite directions, the springs 9 operate to automatically force the levers into contact with the ring 7, and thus establish a connee tion between the conduetiiig-wires through the intermediate ring.

The cases are held together by the levers a l 4 l interlocking each other, as shown in Fig. 2. The inclined bosses lO on the levers operate to hold each other, and this eit'ect is increased b v action oi' the springs 9, against the tension of' which the levers are held when interleckcd.

l. The combination oi the two-part separa ble conductor A B, having the conducting- TOO rings 7 7, the pivoted levers d b 4 Ll, pivotally supported in the parts of the coupling, an electric conductor attached to each pivoted lever, the levers d b being adapted to engage with levers 4 4 when the coupling is closed, thus establishing' electric connection between the conductors attached to one part of the conplin g and those attached to the other part, an d means for automatically establishing connection between the conductors and metallic rings 7 When the parts of the coupling are separated, substantial@T as described.

2. In a coupling' for uniting the detached sections of a direct and return condnctorconeingegestitnting a railway-train signaling-circuit, the combination of a shell or case, as A, and With the conducting-Wires, a flanged tubular section of flexible material, as l2, for inclosing the Wires, and a screw-cap, as l5, for securing said tubular section to the casing, substantially as described.

Signed at Boston,lvlassachusctts, this 29th dayv of February, A. D. 1888.

XVM. C. JOHNSTON, JR.

Vtiiesses:

E. E. HAMILL, C. B. TUTTLE. 

